The lowdown on Dermatology

[crappinatbernie]

Ok. I've already been accepted to a family practice residency. Every doctor I talk to keep nagging at me to change my specialization. They claim FP just doesn't pay well enough for the on-call hours. Derm was my only other consideration.

So.........questions i have:

1. Is it too late to even consider applying?

I do have great grades and test scores along with killer recommendations.
Is there ANY program still interviewing?


2. Some doctors tell me it's worth the scramble to switch. Opinions?


3. Does everyone agree that Family Practice is THAT difficult for the pay?



Please help me try and sort this out.

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[ny skindoc]

Ok. I've already been accepted to a family practice residency. Every doctor I talk to keep nagging at me to change my specialization. They claim FP just doesn't pay well enough for the on-call hours. Derm was my only other consideration.

So.........questions i have:

1. Is it too late to even consider applying?

I do have great grades and test scores along with killer recommendations.
Is there ANY program still interviewing?


2. Some doctors tell me it's worth the scramble to switch. Opinions?


3. Does everyone agree that Family Practice is THAT difficult for the pay?



Please help me try and sort this out.

Dont waste your time applying to derm.Unless you have cultivated contacts and shown strong interest in this field already, a last minute shot at it will not yield much.The application season is well under way.
There is no real scramble in Derm.The few open spots are filled quickly by strong unmatched applicants and reserch fellows.
There do exist derm fellowships in some family practice programs so look into that.
Family Practice has many opportunities,you can practice much derm and other things in it.
Many FPs are happy ..dont let negative people discourage you..As you will find naysayers in every specialty.

 

[porokeratosis]

Dont waste your time applying to derm.Unless you have cultivated contacts and shown strong interest in this field already, a last minute shot at it will not yield much.The application season is well under way.
There is no real scramble in Derm.The few open spots are filled quickly by strong unmatched applicants and reserch fellows.
There do exist derm fellowships in some family practice programs so look into that.
Family Practice has many opportunities,you can practice much derm and other things in it.
Many FPs are happy ..dont let negative people discourage you..As you will find naysayers in every specialty.

I agree 100% with "ny skindoc". There's no way you're gonna get a Derm interview now or scramble into a spot this time in the interview season. Over 90% of the Derm interview offers have been extended. And the few people who scramble into the very few Derm slots that open up after the match typically interviewed there, are currently doing a research fellowship nearby, and/or have strong connections with well-known dermatologist(s) who will "go to bat" for him/her.

If you are swayed by others people opinion of your field, then you should seriously question why you entered your field in the first place. As the saying goes, "if everybody was jumping off a cliff, would you do it too?".

If you are truly serious about Derm, then consider applying for Derm next year during your 1st year as a FP resident. But be careful, your FP program director and fellow residents may despise you for leaving their program and increasing the workload for everyone else. To avoid that uncomfortable (and possibly "sabotaging") situation, you may also want to consider applying to a Preliminary Medicine Internship and/or Transitional Internship and skip the FP residency.

 

[cdql]

out of curiousity, why did you pick FP if your grades/tests/recs were great? (i don't mean this to be an insult in any way)

it's just that at my hospital, FP is usually filled by people who aren't labelled as "top notch applicants"

 

[1bloodyred]

out of curiousity, why did you pick FP if your grades/tests/recs were great? (i don't mean this to be an insult in any way)

it's just that at my hospital, FP is usually filled by people who aren't labelled as "top notch applicants"

That is kind off the problem with FM right now. There this stigma that if you go into FM you were not a good student or not top notch.

The reality is that many FM residents do very well and have a strong knowledge base.

 

[randyo]

Yeah, at my school there are 2 AOA'ers going into FP. That's 2 more than derm at my school. Every specialty is filled with bright, successful practitioners.

 

[blocks]

Ok. I've already been accepted to a family practice residency. Every doctor I talk to keep nagging at me to change my specialization. They claim FP just doesn't pay well enough for the on-call hours. Derm was my only other consideration.

So.........questions i have:

1. Is it too late to even consider applying?

I do have great grades and test scores along with killer recommendations.
Is there ANY program still interviewing?


2. Some doctors tell me it's worth the scramble to switch. Opinions?


3. Does everyone agree that Family Practice is THAT difficult for the pay?



Please help me try and sort this out.

Take your excellent grades, test scores, and letters and apply to FP at UCLA. Match, network like hell in residency, finish in 3 years, and enter cash based, primary care/wellness, boutique style practice in West LA----> happiness that puts most derm practices to shame, excllent income/hours invested. Have last laugh on naysayers mentioned above.

You're welcome.